Wahoo are out there...

dontezuma

My AWESOME neighbor invited me out on his 26' Sailfish CC for some high-speed trolling yesterday.  Obviously, I canceled all my plans.  My daughter has a birthday every year, and so is our anniversary.  My son's playoff game, well, that will probably happen again, but we're talking about FISHING!

Just kidding.  I had no plans.  Good thing, though, because FISHING!

Anyway, we left Beach Marine before 4 and were trolling at the ledge by 6:45.  No luck on the high-speed trolling at all, so we started bottom fishing.  We got some beeliners and a nice trigger and moved in.  On the way to Casablanca, my buddy spotted a pole floating vertically in the water, so we cruise over. We take a few pitches at it. I had a slow pitch jig rod. As soon as the lure got about 20 feet down, it got hammered.

I see a silver flash by the pole, and it takes off left, then turns on a dime and rips right, behind the pole.  It pushes the pole over and as the line pops free of the pole, I have a heart attack as the line goes slack, but then tightens back up immediately, and it's on.  I have the drag set pretty heavy, and I can't stop it.  It's got that tuna-like thrumming feel, so I thought it was a big blackfin.  After a few heavy runs, I eventually get a quick view of him, and I see the long thick body and tiger stripes, and I know it's a wahoo.  Eric put a perfect gaff on him and into the boat he goes.  

I caught 7 different species on that slow-pitch jig on that trip.  I'll definitely be carrying that on every trip. 

RevJoeyFitz

Congrats! Still on my bucket list

John McKroid

That's a beauty, Congratulations!

carolinablue2

That’s awesome , congratulations!!!

BottomBumpin

Very cool way to catch a Hoo!  haven't tried that yet but guess it needs to be an option for sure, thanks for sharing!  what was the water temp?

windblows

That's awesome!

diverdan

awesome! I never dont understand why wahoo like vertical structure like that so much. I would think a giant weedmat or piece of plywood would be better but I hear more about them being caught on vertical poles or even something with a rope going down into the column.

Sea-Squatch

Way to go! I got to be more patient w/ jigs. I feel more confident fishing w/ live/cut bait.

dontezuma

BottomBumpin said:

Very cool way to catch a Hoo!  haven't tried that yet but guess it needs to be an option for sure, thanks for sharing!  what was the water temp?

Man, good question.  I don't recall.  I think it was around 73, at least it was at one point pretty far out there.  Cloudy skies and persistent wind made it look colder than it was.  Every time I reached over and rinsed my hands off, I thought, wow, that's pretty warm for as chilly as it is...

dontezuma

Sea-Squatch said:

Way to go! I got to be more patient w/ jigs. I feel more confident fishing w/ live/cut bait.

It's funny - everything was hitting this jig.  Eric actually caught 2 red snapper (like 3-4 pounds, not real big) one one jig at the same time! I wish I had gotten a pic of that.  Pretty cool.  I can just see those two fish both attacking the jig down there.  It definitely triggers their strike instinct. 

submariner47

nice   good story